D-line - Is Mario Williams a better option than A.J. Hawk?

[DakotaT]

Re: D-line - Is Mario Williams a better option than A.J. Haw

Net wrote: Lets look at it another way. This is the Jimmy Johnson/Jim Bates/Sanders defense. Lets say the front four(assuming FA re-signs) is KGB, Grady, Jenkins, Kampman. Linebackers: Paris Lenon, Nick Barnett, Robert Thomas.

To me it seems clear we need another impact linebacker. If we do draft a D-lineman, it should be another hippo next to Grady to improve against the run.




Net, how would A.J. Hawk in the 1st and Watson from Michigan in the 2nd look to you? I also share ND's passion for Poppinga and Montgomery. Those two are going to make KGB expendable some day, just not this year!

Ngata from Oregon is already damaged goods with his knee! I'll take fatboys in the draft with a clean bill of health. They have plenty of time in the NFL to acquire their injuries.

 

[rmayer32]

Re: D-line - Is Mario Williams a better option than A.J. Haw

I'd take Hawk.. Pair him with Barnett and the LB unit becomes immediately formidable.. I say he's too good to pass up.. we can still get quality on the D-Line in later rounds if we so choose, but Hawk will make the immediate impact in a position where we really need it.

 

[packer4ever]

Re: D-line - Is Mario Williams a better option than A.J. Haw

You have to go with Hawk. He is a flippin freak of nature. He is one of those guys that only come around once in a great while. This guy has played in one of the toughest conferences in college and againest some of the best offeneses in college and no one, NO ONE has an answer on how to stop him. I think we had decent pressure up front last year, no need to mess with that. Can you imagine the dynamic duo of Barnett and Hawk.

 

[mrhustle11]

Re: D-line - Is Mario Williams a better option than A.J. Haw

we already have decent ends on our line with kgb and kampman. When we look at our linebackers and you see the name LENON it makes you want to bring in AJ ASAP. I think that we need to bring in a lb that has an attitude....bring some intensity and get everyone else pumped up. HAWK is probably going to be the man

 

[Greg C.]

Re: D-line - Is Mario Williams a better option than A.J. Haw

I'm partial to Hawk, partly because I've seen him play but I've never seen Williams. Also, I think Hawk is more of a sure bet. I have bad memories of a certain DE who the Packers drafted very high in 2001 and who amounted to nothing. It seems like a lot of those blue-chip DE's fail to make an impact in the pros, like that guy the Cardinals drafted a few years back, or those guys the Browns drafted.

Hawk, on the other hand, looks like a can't-miss prospect to me. Also, I agree with net that our D-line could use another big guy in the middle more than it needs a DE, and there don't seem to be any DT's that are good enough to pick at #5 overall.

 

[CalifPacker]

Re: D-line - Is Mario Williams a better option than A.J. Haw

Either guy would make an impact but, IMO we need a solid LB and a player of Hawk's ability doesn't come along very often.

And signing Kampman is a must. If GB could cut a deal with Grady, do it.

 

[Aceschnd]

Re: D-line - Is Mario Williams a better option than A.J. Haw

Hawk just seems like a once in a couple years player. He is fast and strong and he has the very important crazy factor down. Being completly psycho is a huge advantage for a LB.

 

[kuston]

Re: D-line - Is Mario Williams a better option than A.J. Haw

I'll admit I only saw Ohio St play 2 times this year. I have a question for those of you that watched them more often. How good is Bobby Carpenter? I've heard he is the heart and sole of the defense, Hawk gets all the press and is the flash. Just what I heard.

 

[Aceschnd]

Re: D-line - Is Mario Williams a better option than A.J. Haw

Carpenter is good, however just watch the Fiesta bowl. He didn't play a down and the Defense walked all over Notre Dame. Hawk is not just flash he's good and can be great.

 

[warhawk]

Re: D-line - Is Mario Williams a better option than A.J. Haw

I just read an article in which Moss said we can expect to see new personnel at LB. This doesn't necessarily make Hawk a lock but they were talking about how important a real stout LB crew is in this "D" and it didn't sound like they felt they had what they need beyond Barnett. I know being weak on the outside contributed greatly to our poor run defense stats.
Not having a stud behind KGB spells disaster thats for sure. I. E. the second Vikes game. They must have gained 150 yds. in the second half going around that side and we had no answer for it.
There's an abundance of LB's in this draft and FA so we should get much better there in '06.

 

[NDPackerFan]

Re: D-line - Is Mario Williams a better option than A.J. Haw

I heard that if the Packers take Hawk, they would likely put him in the middle and move Barnett to the outside. I like that move because Barnett is a speed demon who goes sideline to sideline and starting on the outside would free him up a lot more in his pursuit of the ballcarriers. What do you all think about this potential switch?

 

[Greg C.]

Re: D-line - Is Mario Williams a better option than A.J. Haw

With our current personnel on the D-line, I like Hawk at the weak side, backing up KGB in run support, and Barnett in the middle, protected by Grady and able to make plays sideline-to-sideline. I also think Hawk will be a much better blitzer and could create more havoc coming from the side (especially the QB's blind side) rather than up the middle.

If our D-line personnel changes, my opinion may change. But Barnett is a good player and Hawk should at least be good and possibly great, so really this is a can't-miss situation no matter which spots they play in.

 

[DakotaT]

Re: D-line - Is Mario Williams a better option than A.J. Haw

Warhawk wrote: Not having a stud behind KGB spells disaster thats for sure. I. E. the second Vikes game. They must have gained 150 yds. in the second half going around that side and we had no answer for it.
There's an abundance of LB's in this draft and FA so we should get much better there in '06.

What made things worse was their o-line was more pathetic than ours last year. I lost a few hours of sleep on that night. Very good point Warhawk. On defense, the linebacking corps is definitely our biggest weakness and really needs some upgrades. Free agency is not out of the question either. Witherspoon and Peterson come to mind.

 

[chibiabos]

Re: D-line - Is Mario Williams a better option than A.J. Haw

[q :idea: uote="NDPackerFan"]I heard that if the Packers take Hawk, they would likely put him in the middle and move Barnett to the outside. I like that move because Barnett is a speed demon who goes sideline to sideline and starting on the outside would free him up a lot more in his pursuit of the ballcarriers. What do you all think about this potential switch?[/quote]
Another issue not brought up in this discourse is a what if: What if the pack decides to go with a 3 - 4 alignment? Then obviously another LB and at least one better, safety.

 

[PackerTraxx]

Re: D-line - Is Mario Williams a better option than A.J. Haw

Assuming both become outstanding players, which is the prediction for both, I would choose Mario Williams. Because I believe there would be a better chance of getting a very good LB later in the draft then there would be of getting a very good DE.

 

[Greg C.]

Re: D-line - Is Mario Williams a better option than A.J. Haw

chibiabos: There will be no 3-4 alignment. Sanders has already said he will run the same system as Bates, which is a 4-3. That's the main reason he was hired, so the defense wouldn't have to learn a new system again.

 

[retiredgrampa]

Re: D-line - Is Mario Williams a better option than A.J. Haw

For some time now I have been for taking Williams @5 but lately, I'm leaning towards Hawk because I look at our LB corps as being weak. In the end though, I don't figure it'll matter since,in all likelihood, TT will trade down if at all possible. All three choices make some sense. Aren't you glad I'm not the GM??